1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to the field of track lighting and in particular to track lighting apparatus carrying two independent power circuits, either one of which may be accessed by means of a plug box having a selectable contact position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A track lighting system provides a linear power source to which lampholders may be attached at any point. A prior track lighting system has provided track sections which may be connected end-to-end or at 90.degree. angles by means of plug connectors. Such track sections are accessed by means of plug boxes for each lamp socket to be connected to the track. Such track sections typically carry but one power circuit which may be controlled by a wall switch or a wall dimmer in a usual manner.
There has developed a need for the capability to carry two power circuits in a low profile single track section, either of which may be accessed by a single plug box with selection means allowing one or the other of the power circuits to be accessed. With such two power track lighting systems, lamps carried by individual plug boxes may be controlled via two different switches or dimmers to achieve desired lighting effects with increased flexibility over single circuit systems.
3. Identification of Objects of the Invention
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a low profile track system carrying two power circuits, either of which may be accessed by a single plug box having a selectively positioned contact.
Another object of the invention is to provide a low profile track lighting system which is compatible with a prior art single circuit track system.
It is another object of the invention to provide a plug box adapted to access a two circuit track according to the invention, or to access a prior art single circuit track.
It is another object of the invention to provide a plug box and track section where the plug box may be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise only ninety degrees, depending upon the orientation on insertion into the track section, into contacting position within the track section such that a power contact of the plug box cannot make contact with a neutral bus of the track section and a neutral contact of the plug box cannot make contact with a power bus of the track section, thereby preventing inadvertent misconnection of the plug box to the power leads of the track section.
It is another object of the invention to provide one-way insertion of right hand and left hand connectors for connecting two or more track sections or providing feed connection to power source wiring while maintaining proper electrical polarity.
It is another object of the invention to provide contacts for modular connectors for track lighting sections which may be locked in place during connector assembly and to provide contacts for ground, neutral and voltage busses.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a support plate by which two or more track lighting modular connectors may be attached to one another with a swivel for rotating one connector with respect to another between minus ninety and plus ninety degree positions.